Fall Break

My fall break was pretty eventful and a lot of fun.

The first weekend I just decided to sleep in, and that was pretty much the thing I needed most.

Then I went to Brad Wilkins’ house and played Madden all freakin’ night baby! The next day we woke up and went and played some tackle football with like twenty other people (half of whom were on the soccer team). That was about the greatest thing ever. Then I went to the mall and bought some new clothes and got my hair cut, which I was really starting to need because my bangs were curling and waving at people, haha.

Wednesday I went to my dad’s house, and Thursday I took my driver’s test. Unfortunately, I failed… so my dad had to drive me, my sister, and her friend back to my mom’s house. Later that day, I went and played football again at Apollo with even more people – still the greatest thing ever.

Friday was when things finally started to die down (mind you, you may do a lot more things than me in a week but this week was what I would consider pretty eventful). I had to start thinking about homework and how much I had just because of Mrs. Matthews’ assigning of two projects, a study guide, and an essay over the break. I also had Spanish and math homework, but that was menial compared to the literal mountain of English homework. That weekend I just tried to relax and, obviously, didn’t do any of the homework, haha.

Dakota

Driver's Test

So about a week and a half ago I took my driver’s test in Indiana (my dad lives there and they only have to wait six months for their full license so I jumped on that opportunity). I got the BMV, and waited in line for a few moments. Then when my dad and I got to the front of the line, we was told to wait until the driving instructor was ready, so we went and sat down. More waiting elapsed, and I was feeling under control. This wasn’t going to be too bad, I thought. Then I heard my name called from the desk where a man was waiting for me. When I got to the desk, he had me pull out my permit and take a sight test before prompting my dad and I to walk with him to the front door. There he told us some general things to do and watch out for (I’m not sure why he had to tell my dad), and then he and I were on our way to my car.

He first had me check my lights. When he got in my car, he asked me some questions to make sure I wasn’t a Class A felon, then we began. We drove and talked, and drove and talked some more. We drove through a school zone where I was instructed to go the posted speed limit for when the lights were flashing, so I did. I accumulated quite a line of cars behind my own, but oh well. Once we got back onto the road that led to the BMV, the driving instructor had me to just wait until we got back into the parking lot and back into a space because we couldn’t find a vehicle to parallel park behind. Once I had finished and keyed the motor, he began to talk with me about how I had done. “You did good, that was perfect,” etc. “But I can’t pass you if you run a red light. It’s what’s called a critical error.” I had to have been one of the most let down people in the world at that moment. It was like Charlie being the last kid in Willie Wonka’s chocolate factory but not getting the grand prize because he stole fizzy lifting drinks.

This is how it went down. He told me I pulled into a turning lane at a light. I had a green arrow so I pulled into the intersection. The light, he said, turned yellow while I was turning in the intersection, then red before I got the rear end of my car over the thick white line on the road I was turning into. “You want me to go on and schedule you for two weeks?” he asked.

“No, I’ll just wait till the next Saturday.” (I took it on the Thursday over fall break and didn’t want to miss school to go over to Evansville to take it) Together we walked back inside the BMV. He was telling me about having three teenage daughters and all of them having totaled their vehicles at least once. You know what, guy? I really don’t care right now. He told my dad about how I had done and why he had to fail me. My dad and I went to reschedule but found out we could only schedule appointments two weeks in advance, so we just left, figuring we would call that Saturday. When we were walking out, he told me, “I told you not stoppin’ would get yourself failed.” Thanks pappy.

Dakota

Legalization of Marijuana

I suppose this a worthy topic to write about, especially because it has been in the news so much about California wanting to do so. As I said in my last blog, people use marijuana anyway, regardless of whether it is legalized or not. For those who do it, if there is a way to get it, they will find it. The fact that marijuana is the number one cash crop in the United States is also something to behold.

That said, I believe that, solely for medicinal purposes, legalizing marijuana would be an acceptable measure. I mean, amphetamines are highly addictive, yet they are used at bedside in hospitals. Why not allow marijuana to be used to quell extensive pain as well?

Legalizing it for medicinal purposes would do relatively nothing to the overall effect of the current law. The law requires that people neither use nor possess marijuana, yet many people do, many times in fact. They are breaking the law anyway, so how would things be any different by legalizing it?

Plus, since it is the number one cash crop in the U.S., would marketing it in medicine not help the current economic crisis the nation has fallen into. Along with municipal business, agriculture is one of the staples of our economy. If marijuana were legalized for medicinal purposes, can you imagine how much more would be grown and bought, making the economy blossom in that area very nicely. I mean, as it is, it’s already being grown and bought at a high rate. Legalized, the growing and buying would be unimaginable.

Comments on this would be nice. I’d like to see what other people think. Remember, I’m talking just for medicinal purposes, not overall legalization.

Dakota

Fickleness

Kiersten Richards has used this word a couple of times in my presence to describe people who are just that. I’m not sure if she has ever called me this, but at times, I find myself being it.

Nick Miller alerted me of this. We were talking about legalizing marijuana (which I believe I may write about in my next blog), and he told me initially that he thought it should be legalized for medicinal purposes because people use it anyway even though it is illegal. He then changed his answer because his mom asked him why it should be legalized and he couldn’t think of any reason why it should (because of its hazard to health, etc.) He then talked to me again and was talking about how if he isn’t strong in a certain set of beliefs toward a particular topic, he can be easily swayed in one direction by biased accounts and such.

I believe that I am the same way, in retrospect. If I have little knowledge in a particular subject, I am usually greatly influenced by the first account I come across about that subject. I am then usually biased later toward the way I was first swayed, and like Nick, I find this aggravating. Why can’t I have more willpower (for lack of a better word) to keep myself from becoming easily persuaded on a topic?

I found myself really noticing this during the latest presidential election. President Obama, the great orator he is, made me side with many of the things he said just because he worded his statements in such a way as to greatly influence me to do so. I suppose this is what one tries to do during an election, try to get people on his side, but it still vexes me that I am almost powerless to the will of well supported and explained theses.

I believe I will try to curb this habit as much as possible from here on out.

Dakota

College

I’ve been thinking a lot about college lately. What do I plan to major in? Where am I going to go? Should I look into scholarships?

As for what I plan to major in, I know I would love to do something in the science field for sure, probably leaning toward bioscience. Something in medicine, I think, would probably be best career choice for me because of both my prowess in the subject and my love for it. So I believe I shall probably major in something related to pre-med, something like chemistry or biology, or nursing perhaps.

In regards to where I want to go, I’ve been thinking about a few different places. If money were not an issue, I would go to the University of Washington in a heartbeat because their college of medicine is, in my opinion, the best in the United States. If that didn’t work out, my next choice would be Washington University in St. Louis because both the medical school and the entire school are elite in their education. But because money is an issue and because my step-dad is going to be getting a job at Kentucky Wesleyan allowing me to go to almost any college in Kentucky for free, I think I’m going to choose the University of Kentucky. Their medical program is pretty solid and they have a hospital there so residency should be both easy and very constructive.

The scholarship issue is also a biggie for me. Since my step-dad will be getting this job, and I will be able to go to UK for free, will I need to apply for scholarships? I mean, I will still have to pay for room and board, but I can use KEYS money for that. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to go ahead and apply, even if I don’t necessarily need them. I also don’t know if free tuition means just for the four years for the bachelor or as long as you need to complete the requirements for the final degree you are trying to obtain (in my case, a doctorate).

Shoo wee, eight years is going to be a long time in college, haha.

Dakota

Homework’s Effects on My Love for School

So, for those of you who don’t know, I’ve been going to school since pre-school and Kindergarten. Throughout the years I have come to have a rather rollercoaster-like love with school – better put, I have come to have a rollercoaster descent-like love with school.

My first six years of school were among the best times I have had with school. School loved me, and I loved school. I loved school so much that one year, for Christmas, I asked Santa Claus for a math book so I could do problems. School was fun, I never got bored, and I almost never had homework.

My middle school years were when things started getting rocky with school and I. We began to fight more than usual. Courses got tougher and more numerous (from four to eight classes). School started giving me more flack in the form of homework, and I was starting to get aggravated about it.

The high school years have been the hardest ones between school and I. It’s like the flame we once shared together is slowly, day by day, being extinguished, and I don’t like it. Classes are mostly rigorous, with an abundance of IB. Homework is almost a given for said classes every night.

And so it has occurred to me that the homework issue is probably the main reason I have come to resent school so. From K-8, I never procrastinated on any of my homework, but when I got to high school, all my friends started doing it, so I thought, heck, why not give it a try (peer pressure I know – sue me). It was hard to get used to at first, but by the end of first semester freshman year, I was a pro, and have been ever since.

This procrastination, however, has been my second love, and school does not like it. It makes seeing school very difficult because I saw procrastination the night before and now school is giving me very little time to get the homework it has thrown at me done. I suppose it’s tough love. I know in the long run school will be better for me than procrastination, but procrastination is like my summer/four-year fling right now. It’s so fun to be with and school just isn’t. But maybe there is some love still there, maybe we could hook back up if things between procrastination and I don’t work out. I guess only time will tell.

(I’m going to college to be a doctor, so I guess I’m going to have to start loving school again because I’ve got another nine years to be with it, haha.)

Dakota

Internet

The Internet is probably one of the most remarkable inventions in terms of media, education, market, and personal accessibility. If you’re looking for something, it’s almost a guarantee you can find it on the Internet.

Media on the Internet has gotten almost as popular as media on the television. And the good thing about news being on the Internet is you can find exactly what you are looking for instead of having to wait for it to be announced on the T.V. or radio. Usually the media stations that televise and broadcast their information even have websites themselves that you can get the same information off of.

Education on the Internet is also very accessible. There are many educational websites that can really help add a spin to an otherwise strictly textbook class. And again, you can find almost anything you would ever want to know (and then some) on the Internet, although some things can be a little less than factual, so one must be wary when obtaining one’s information from the Internet.

Buying and selling on the Internet is also very easy. Businesses can exchange mass quantities of stock and money simply with the click of a button. It is just as easy for individuals, who may simply want to buy a frying pan, or a new car. There’s no need for phone calls, personal money exchange, meetings; just a click of the mouse and you can buy or sell anything.

Then there are personal networking sites where one can communicate with other people. This is very convenient if you want to know how other people are doing, if you want to talk to them, or if you just want to meet new people. These are great because you can see all of your friends’ updates and talk to a lot more of them than you could by phone.

I don’t think I could live without the Internet. Thank you Al Gore. =P

Dakota